To The Good Tomorrow
by LadyAxios
Summary: Short writing prompt celebrating my 500 follower count on Tumblr that someone requested. Anya Stroud has her self doubts that make the promise of finally having a tomorrow lost of hope, but luckily with someone like Marcus Fenix to steady and reassure the Lieutenant, the both of them can finally look forward to having a tomorrow. Post Gears of War 3 prompt- Marcus and Anya.


**I wrote this quick story prompt after being requested on my Tumblr account. I choose this particular ending scene in Gears of War 3 to delve off of, simply because Marcus and Anya's relationship is very under appreciated in my opinion. I also just loved how this kind of played off in my head and before I knew it, I made a 1,000 word short story based off the ending. I haven't written Anya or Marcus before, but I hope you guys like it nontheless and if there's any positive feedback to be given, then please write a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gears of War or any of it's characters. Epic Games does. **

**Enjoy!**

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Stepping off the beach side a few hours later- allowing the flock of onlookers to go on their way, Marcus and Anya finally looked away from the setting sun and let their hands leave each others grasp.

"I never thought this would happen, it's crazy, isn't it, Marcus?" Anya spoke softly. Her hand on his back, never leaving him. It was almost scary to see that even with all those people previously watching, that Marcus Fenix allowed his walls to come down to the point where public displays of affection were acceptable.

Marcus didn't speak, but instead opted to look at Anya.

She started at his ice blue eyes, reveling in all of the emotion that she never in a million years were to think that he'd let her see.

Dom, the dying wish of Carlos Santiago that Marcus swore to protect until the Hell unleashed from the locust could finally win over from the COG, _dead. _

Adam, Marcus' father that he was imprisoned for, dedicated his life to an unknown factor and misunderstood species that even now, the members of Delta squad can't swallow down, _dead. _

_And it all happened so soon, _she thought.

Her heart panned at what she feared could be the future of Marcus. It just was unbelievable that even after all these years of fighting and pushing forward, that this was all he was left with.

Anya's stomach curled just thinking about those false promises she fed to Marcus.

There was finally tomorrow.

A tomorrow without locusts hordes, giant riftworms, night-stalking kryll and a looming threat of Queen Myrrah to hunt down the Collation of Governments. All of it was gone and tomorrow would be another day where nights wouldn't render sleepless and lancers and gnashers wouldn't have to lunge around covers in a fight or flight of shoot or be shot.

Who was she kidding though? Stranded that still hated the COG would be on their ass the minute they let their guard down. Nightmares than many gears, and no doubt Marcus would have, disrupting what could be restful sleep, and the whole business of repopulating Sera.

She broke the link between their eyes and let her head drop.

She would never be a mother and Marcus, a father? These kinds of thoughts are the ones that are crushed. It isn't a dream, it's reality.

The truth of the world that all the remaining souls lived on wouldn't be an easy one, and would looking forward to the next day really be enough?

She didn't want to find out.

"Anya," Marcus spoke, his baritone voice breaking her reverie. "Anya, look at me."

She couldn't. She couldn't bare to witness those eyes brimming with emotion again, in fear that when she looked up, they'd be gone and she'd never see them again. Just like the jail cell bars slamming down on whatever ounce of humanity Anya fought for Marcus to keep alive.

Marcus grabbed her chin and forced the bob of blonde hair to peel away and expose Anya's face again. His thumb softly caressed the side of her face and the bottom of her lip.

"There's finally a tomorrow, Anya," He spoke; his words absent of much of the heavy burden he'd mask in the place of battle. "There's finally a tomorrow and even though all of this stuff happened with Dom and my dad- We're going to do this for them, Anya. Helena too."

"Helena too, huh?" Her voice, without command laced with his words.

"For everyone we lost to the goddamn locusts, Anya. We're here and there's a tomorrow."

She placed her hands over his hand that was caressing her face. Reminiscing in the feeling of him on her skin, no matter how little the affection was.

"There's a tomorrow."

"We're doing this together, Anya. Don't break down on me," His voice lowered and his eyes downcast. "Not when you're the only one left."

As if an ethereal entity placed itself on Anya's soul, she let herself believe that the man in front of him was nothing short but capable of keeping his promise to her. Marcus Fenix really did have angels looking over him.

"Together, Marcus, and to a new tomorrow."

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She smiled uncharacteristically and let out a small laugh, slowly anchoring herself on her two feet. The sand managed to get in between her armor in uncomfortable places and she shook her leg to hopefully rid them off of her fatigues. Of course, her attempts were futile as she managed to only let the sand fall deeper into her combat boots and so on.

"C'mon Marcus, let's get going. The sun's just about set and I don't know about you, but I am willing to bet the mess hall's open for us."

Metaphorically letting go of the chains anchoring Marcus to that rock looking onto the sea, he slowly pushed himself up and followed to look at Anya, waiting patiently for him.

He may never be able to say what he truly felt about Anya, but with the future to look forward to, he would be dammed if he didn't try to let her know that he cared about her.

"Oh and before I forget," Anya sauntered off, reaching not too far off into the sandy dunes, fetching a few items before returning back to him with a handful of discarded armor and a black bandanna. "Here you are, Sargent."

He carefully took each piece from Anya's lightly sunkissed arms and placed each piece of the forearm armor on, before looking towards his iconic bandanna. He hesitated in taking it. He looked towards Anya's face, noticing her slight shock that he had yet to tie the piece of cloth to his head, giving him the usual 'mad dog' look. Running a hand through his lightly fuzzed black hair, he sighed and closed Anya's dainty hand around the bandanna. "Keep it."

She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and clutched onto the bandanna like a lifeline. She was elated, in all honesty. It had been ages since she last saw Marcus' soft hair. It made him look kinder and_ human._ Pocketing the bandanna, she let Marcus fall in line with her and together, they left to join the rest of Delta Squad and hopefully have one of the first of many good meals to come.

They finally did have a tomorrow, and they were going to face it _together_.

_**End.**_

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**Again, Marcus and Anya are such a great, underappreciated pairing. I'm glad I was given the opportunity and I hope I served these characters some justice. Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! **


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